Post date: Mar 04, 2013 9:14:22 PM
The White House reacts to Former NBA player Dennis Rodman's message to President Barack Obama from North Korean leader Kim Jung-un, "He wants Obama to do one thing -- call him"
WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MARCH 4, 2013) (NBC) - The White House reacted to former NBA basketball star Dennis Rodman's trip to North Korea on Monday (March 4). Rodman met with Kim in the North Korea capitalPyongyang, where Rodman was working on a documentary about basketball.
White House Spokesman Jay Carney was asked during the daily White House Briefing if President Obama has watched comments from former NBA players Dennis Rodmansince his return from North Korea where Rodman calls North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "an awesome kid"."The United States has direct channels of communications with the DPRK and instead of spending money on celebrity sporting events to entertain the elites of that country the North Korean regime should focus on the well-being of it's own people who have been starved, imprisoned, and denied their human rights. We have urged the North Korean leadership to heed President Obama's call to choose the path of peace and come into compliance with it's international obligations. North Korea's actions however directly violate the United Nations security council resolutions and threaten international peace and security," Carney said.
The White House Spokesman did not have a statement from Obama when he was asked by a reporter about the statement from Rodman that Kim Jong-un said to call.
"You know I don't have a read out specific to the President to give to you. I think what I just said makes clear that North Korea ought to be focusing on it's own citizens and opportunities to improve their lives and the United States has channels of communications directly with the DPRK and those are the channels we choose to employ," Carney said.
The U.S. government disavowed any connection to Rodman's trip.